Search Results (319)

Sucrose synthase plays a crucial role in sucrose metabolism and flower regulation. By using bioinformatics techniques, 13, 16 and 13 SUS members were identified in Brassica rapa, Brassica nigra, and Brassica oleracea, respectively. The SUS family can be divided into three subfamilies. The SUS II subfamily has three B. nigra genes with significantly reduced motif types. The SUS III subfamily has fewer motif 2 in Arabidopsis thaliana compared to the other species. The interspecific collinearity analysis revealed a “one-to-one, many-to-one” relationship between species. KEGG revealed that Brassica nigra showed significantly higher enrichment in the metabolism pathway, while Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea exhibited higher significance in carbohydrate metabolism. GO indicated that Brassica nigra had more enriched biological process pathways than the other two species. It reveals that SUS has a higher degree of similarity between the AA genome and the CC genome, while its similarity to the BB genome is lower. The analysis of the response of BraSUSs to different light intensities revealed that the differentially expressed genes BraA07g028740.3C and BraA07g037520.3C had enhanced expression rhythms under high light intensity. Using three diploid basal species with different flowering traits (Chinese cabbage, cabbage, and black mustard) as experimental materials, we conducted a comparative analysis of the SUS gene family. This will lay the foundation for deciphering the molecular regulatory mechanism by which the SUS gene affects flowering through its influence on sucrose synthesis. Full article

Sapindus mukorossi, known as soapberry, is a multipurpose woody species with oil-rich kernels and saponin-rich pulp, and its kernel oil and pulp saponins have important applications in oleochemicals, detergents, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and bioenergy. However, the mechanism by which carbohydrate-derived carbon is differentially allocated to kernel oil biosynthesis and pulp saponin biosynthesis within the same fruit remains unclear. In this study, we integrated morphological, physiological, metabolomic, and transcriptomic analyses to investigate the developmental accumulation patterns of oil and saponins and their relationship with carbohydrate metabolism in S. mukorossi fruit. The fruit reached maturity at approximately 130 days after flowering and was divided into four developmental stages: slow growth, rapid expansion, color transition, and maturation. Kernel oil accumulated in a typical S-shaped pattern and increased rapidly during the middle-to-late developmental stages, whereas pulp saponins increased continuously before maturity and remained stable. At maturity, soluble sugars mainly accumulated in the pulp, while starch was relatively enriched in the kernels, indicating different carbohydrate storage and utilization patterns between the two tissues. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed tissue-specific metabolic regulation: lipid metabolism was preferentially enriched in kernels, whereas terpenoid and secondary metabolic pathways were more active in pulp. Several genes related to fatty acid assembly and oil accumulation, including SmACC, SmLACS, SmGPAT, and SmLPAT, showed kernel-biased expression, while genes involved in the mevalonate (MVA)-dependent triterpenoid saponin pathway, including SmACCT, SmMVK, SmIDI, SmSQE, and SmLUP2, were closely associated with pulp saponin accumulation. Hormone-related transcription factors, such as GRAS and BES1 in kernels and MYC2 in pulp, may contribute to the coordination between carbohydrate metabolism and oil or saponin biosynthesis. Overall, these findings suggest that oil and saponin accumulation in S. mukorossi fruit are regulated by distinct tissue-specific metabolic programs closely linked to carbohydrate metabolism. This study provides new insights into carbon allocation between kernel oil and pulp saponin biosynthesis and identifies candidate pathways and genes for the genetic improvement and resource utilization of S. mukorossi. Full article

Background: This study investigated the relationships among mitochondrial energy metabolism, immune function, and gut microbiota in mice under a fatigued state, providing preliminary evidence for future nutrition-related mechanistic and intervention studies. Methods: Mice were adaptively fed for 4 days and then randomly divided into a normal control group (NC) and a fatigue model group (NM). Immune organ indices, serum IgG levels, thigh muscle ATP content, mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I–IV activities, and gut microbiota composition were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), microplate assays, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: Compared with the NC, the NM showed a significantly reduced spleen index, serum IgG levels, mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I, III, and IV activities, along with reduced ATP content. Regarding gut microbiota, mice in the NM exhibited disordered intestinal villus arrangement, inflammatory cell infiltration in the crypts and muscular layers, and markedly reduced intestinal microbial activity as well as protease and sucrase activities. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed fewer ASVs in the NM, with enrichment of Lactobacillaceae, Limosilactobacillus, and Ligilactobacillus, whereas the NC was characterized by Borkfalkiaceae and Borkfalkia. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis identified Lactobacillaceae, Firmicutes_D, and Lactobacillales as characteristic taxa of the NM. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) prediction indicated that fatigue-associated microbial functions were mainly related to carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism. Correlation and RDA analyses further suggested that alterations in gut microbiota structure were closely associated with mitochondrial energy-related indicators and immune-related parameters. Conclusions: Fatigue was associated with alterations in energy metabolism, immune function, and gut microecology in mice. The “gut microbiota–energy metabolism–immunity” framework may represent a potential association-based framework and provides biological information to support future nutrition-related intervention studies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cancer pathophysiology involves metabolic disturbances, and exercise improves muscle metabolism, but little is known about the effect of concurrent high-intensity interval plus resistance training (CT_HIIT+RT) on the resting and exercise metabolism of breast cancer survivors with risk factors related to metabolic syndrome (MetS). The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 8 weeks of CT_HIIT+RT on the fat and carbohydrate (CHO) metabolism during rest and progressive exercise post-exercise intervention in breast cancer survivors with histories of high- and low-volume chemotherapy. Methods: An experimental study was conducted in which (n = 21) women breast cancer survivors (age: 58.7 ± 8.7 years) were divided by history of high- (HV_chemo, ≥8 to 16 sessions, n = 10) or low-volume (LV_chemo, ≤7 chemo sessions, n = 11) chemotherapy. The fat (RFAT_ox) and CHO oxidation during 10 min of resting was measured (i.e., including the area under curve [AUC] points within this time), as well as the fat (ExFAT_ox) and CHO (ExCHO_ox) oxidation during progressive exercise, before and after 8 weeks of CT_HIIT+RT by indirect calorimetry. Additionally, risk factors related to MetS were described from pre- to post-intervention. Results: At rest, the HV_chemo group showed significant increases in the AUC of RFAT_ox (∆ + 23.7, p < 0.0001), similar to the LV_chemo group (∆ + 14.0, p < 0.0001). The HV_chemo group showed significant increases in the AUC of RCHO_ox (∆ + 109.7, p < 0.0001), similar to the LV_chemo group (∆ + 107.5, p < 0.0001). During progressive exercise, the ExFAT_ox was increased in the HV_chemo group (∆ + 0.12 g/min, p = 0.006), similar to the ExCHO_ox (∆ + 0.52 g/min, p = 0.013) of this group. The proportion of subjects categorized with MetS were significantly reduced in blood pressure, Glu and triglyceride components. Conclusions: Eight weeks of CT_HIIT+RT may promote favorable metabolic and cardiometabolic adaptations in breast cancer survivors regardless of the chemotherapy exposure volume. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously due to the small sample size and lack of a true non-exercise control group. Full article

Background/Objectives: In Croatia, national data on adolescents’ dietary habits are limited, resulting in a lack of evidence-based food-based dietary guidelines and public health interventions. This study aims to conduct an in-depth evaluation of dietary habits in a national sample of Croatian adolescents stratified by region, sex and age, from the National food consumption survey on adolescents and adults (NIPNOD 2018–2023). Methods: This cross-sectional study included 258 adolescents (50.4% boys; aged 10 to < 18) from the NIPNOD 2018–2023 survey (OC/EFSA/DATA/2017/01), conducted according to the EU Menu methodology. For analysis, the sample was divided into two age groups (10–13 and 14–17 years). To assess dietary intake, two 24 h recalls were analyzed using NutriCro^® v. 3.0 software. Dietary intake was compared with European Food Safety Authority dietary reference values (DRV). The contribution of 14 food groups to daily energy intake was analyzed. Diet quality was assessed using the Diet Quality Index for Adolescents (DQI-A). Results: The mean daily energy intake was 1820 ± 529 kcal, consisting of 45.5 ± 7.0% carbohydrates, 37.8 ± 6.3% fats, and 15.1 ± 3.1% protein. The observed two-day mean intake suggested that 51.6% of adolescents had carbohydrate intake within the EFSA DRV range, while 5.4% and 32.2% had protein and fat intake within the EFSA DRVs, respectively. The main contributors to daily energy intake were grains and grain products (31.5%), meat, poultry, fish, and eggs (18.1%), and cakes, confectionery, sweets, and sugar (14.9%). Frequent breakfast skipping and snack consumption were common, particularly among older adolescents. Adolescents had moderate overall diet quality (57.4 ± 11.6% DQI-A), with no differences between age groups. Conclusions: Analysis of the dietary habits of adolescents in Croatia indicates that most have inadequate macronutrient intake, irregular meal frequency, and moderate overall diet quality. These results highlight the need to develop public health strategies and interventions to improve dietary habits among adolescents in Croatia. Full article

Biological control fungi play an important role in the management of plant-parasitic nematodes; however, the molecular basis underlying their diverse biocontrol strategies remains incompletely understood. In this study, a comparative genomic analysis was performed on four representative biocontrol fungi: Purpureocillium lilacinum PLFJ-1, Trichoderma harzianum CBS 226.95, Pochonia chlamydosporia 170, and Aspergillus niger CBS 513.88. Genome comparison revealed substantial variation: genome size ranged from 34.0 Mb (A. niger) to 44.2 Mb (P. chlamydosporia), GC content from 47.5% (T. harzianum) to 58.5% (P. lilacinum), and predicted gene models also differed markedly among the four fungi. Phylogenetic analysis based on the Internal Transcribed Spacer divided these fungi into two major clades corresponding to distinct evolutionary lineages. Orthogroup analysis identified both a conserved core gene set and species-specific gene repertoires. Functional annotation using KEGG, KOG, and GO indicated a high degree of conservation across core metabolic processes, catalytic activities, and cellular components, with distinct differences within specific functional categories. Further comparative analyses demonstrated pronounced variation in the composition and abundance of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and peptidases, as well as a notable expansion and enrichment of S8 subtilisin-like serine peptidases in the nematode-parasitic fungi P. lilacinum and P. chlamydosporia. Secondary metabolite analysis revealed lineage-specific biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). Notably, P. lilacinum and P. chlamydosporia carried PKS/NRPS clusters potentially linked to nematicidal activity, while A. niger and T. harzianum displayed broader but less infection-specific metabolic profiles. Together, these findings suggest that distinct enzymatic and metabolic gene repertoires, particularly expansions of S8 serine peptidases and specific CAZyme families, may contribute to the biocontrol potential of these fungi. Full article

Background/Objectives: Diet is considered one of the most important modifiable risk factors for non-communicable diseases in modern society. While numerous studies have reported on the association between diet and mental health, including anxiety, research examining the relationship between dietary patterns and mental health is relatively scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the association between anxiety and suicidal ideation with macronutrient intake. Methods: This study was conducted on adults aged 19 years or older using raw data from the 2021–2023 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Excluding those with missing test items, 9002 subjects were included. The study subjects were divided into four groups based on macronutrient intake (normal diet group, high-carbohydrate diet group, high-fat diet group, and high-protein diet group; based on Korean Dietary Reference). Results: There was no significant association between dietary patterns and suicidal ideation. However, after adjusting for covariates for moderate or severe anxiety in the HP diet group, the odds ratio was reported to be 0.492 (95% CI 0.298–0.810). Subgroup analysis by gender revealed no significant difference between dietary types and anxiety in women, but in men, the HP diet significantly lowered the odds of moderate or severe anxiety (OR 0.230, 95% CI 0.089–0.599). Conclusions: This study found that higher protein intake was associated with lower levels of moderate to severe anxiety, and this trend was statistically significant, particularly in men. Further research is needed to confirm the causal relationship. Full article

The rumen microbiota plays a key role in nutrient fermentation and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production in ruminants. However, the impacts of different feeding regimes on rumen microbial composition, functional potential, and metabolic outputs remain unclear. In this study, rumen fluid samples were collected from 12 Longdong goats (Capra hircus), which were divided into four groups based on feeding regime and coat color: housed white goats (n = 3), housed black goats (n = 3), grazing white goats (n = 3), and grazing black goats (n = 3). Samples were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing combined with functional annotation (KEGG and CAZy) and targeted SCFA profiling. Distinct differences in microbial community composition were observed primarily between feeding regimes, with enrichment of taxa related to carbohydrate degradation and fermentation. Functional analyses revealed significant shifts in metabolic pathways, particularly those associated with carbohydrate metabolism, energy production, and glycan biosynthesis. Several glycoside hydrolase and glycosyltransferase families showed differential abundances across groups. Consistently, SCFA concentrations varied significantly among feeding regimes. Correlation analyses further demonstrated strong associations between key microbial taxa, functional pathways, and specific SCFAs. Overall, these results indicate that feeding regime, rather than coat color, plays a dominant role in shaping rumen microbial structure, functional capacity, and fermentation characteristics, providing insights into microbial mechanisms underlying rumen metabolism and informing feeding strategy optimization. Full article

Water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) is the key to producing quality forage silage and an important energy source for ruminants. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different silages used as roughage sources [whole-plant sugarcane silage (WSS) vs. elephant grass silage (EGS)] with varying levels of WSC on silage quality, buffalo growth performance, apparent digestibility, rumen fermentation, and microbial communities. Sixteen healthy male crossbred buffaloes were randomly divided into two treatment groups, with eight buffaloes/treatment. One group was fed whole-plant sugarcane silage, and the other group was fed elephant grass silage. Compared with EGS, WSS had higher WSC, lactic acid, and ethanol, but lower pH, ammonia nitrogen, propionic acid, and butyric acid (BA) contents (p < 0.05). Potential probiotics (e.g., Lactiplantibacillus and Hanseniaspora) were more abundant in WSS than in EGS (p < 0.05). Moreover, the feed conversion rate was higher in HWS (p < 0.05). However, rumen fermentation parameters were unaffected by diet (p > 0.05). Moreover, feeding WSS had lower dry matter digestibility (DMD), organic matter digestibility (OMD), and lower acid detergent fiber digestibility (ADFD) (p < 0.05). After WSS feeding, ruminal Treponema_2 was strongly associated with DMD, OMD, and ADFD (p < 0.05), and also showed positive correlations with BA and PA contents in WSS (p < 0.05). Additionally, rumen Ruminiclostridium_5 and Pseudozyma was associated with DMD and ADFD after being fed EGS (p > 0.05), respectively, but the Pseudozyma was associated with BA (p < 0.05) and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_11 (p > 0.05) in EGS. Our findings indicated that WSS exhibited superior fermentation quality and harbored potential beneficial microbes, whereas EGS showed higher apparent nutrient digestibility in buffalo but also contained undesirable bacteria (e.g., Clostridium_sensu_stricto_11). Future research should investigate the long-term effects of WSS feeding on buffalo health, immunity, and production performance, as well as its impact on rumen microbiota stability, to fully assess its potential as a safe and sustainable roughage source. Full article

Background: Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is a stress-responsive cytokine associated with inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and cardiovascular disease. Its role as a biomarker of microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains incompletely defined. Objective: To evaluate circulating GDF-15 levels and their association with microvascular complications in patients with T2D. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 160 participants divided into three groups: T2D (n = 93), obesity without carbohydrate disorders (n = 36), and healthy controls (n = 31). Microvascular complications (neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy) were assessed. Multivariable logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were performed. Results: GDF-15 levels were significantly higher in T2D compared with non-diabetic individuals (267.5 ± 168.9 vs. 118.3 ± 55.5 pg/mL, p < 0.001). Higher GDF-15 was associated with neuropathy (odds ratio (OR) 1.985; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.431–2.753) and nephropathy (OR 1.673; 95% CI 1.243–2.254) in unadjusted models. After adjustment, only nephropathy remained independently associated (OR 1.405; 95% CI 1.026–1.923). ROC analysis showed moderate discriminative ability for nephropathy (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.763). Conclusions: Circulating GDF-15 levels are significantly elevated in patients with T2D and are associated with microvascular complications, with the strongest independent association observed for diabetic nephropathy. These findings suggest that GDF-15 may represent a promising biomarker reflecting metabolic stress and risk of diabetic complications. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different aerobic exposure durations on mycotoxin accumulation, nutritional quality changes, and microbial community dynamics of corncob silage. The experiment was divided into four groups: T0 (corncob silage fermented for 45 days without aerobic exposure), T4 (corncob silage exposed to air for 4 days), T8 (corncob silage exposed to air for 8 days), and T12 (corncob silage exposed to air for 12 days). The results showed that after aerobic exposure, the contents of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), Crude Ash, lactic acid (LA), and ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N) in all exposed groups (T4, T8, T12) were significantly lower than those in the T0 group, whereas the contents of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), propionic acid (PA), and butyric acid (BA) were significantly higher than those in the T0 group. Exposure to aerobic conditions for 12 days resulted in the four mycotoxins exhibiting levels significantly higher than those in the other groups, and notably, zearalenone (ZEN) and ochratoxin (OT) exhibited a continuous increase in concentration with the extension of aerobic exposure. Aerobic exposure increased bacterial diversity and fungal relative abundance, and significant separations were observed in both bacterial and fungal communities between the T0 group and the aerobic exposure groups. At the phylum level, Firmicutes was the dominant bacterial phylum in the T0 group, while Pseudomonadota became the dominant phylum after aerobic exposure. At the genus level, Lacticaseibacillus was the dominant bacterial genus in the T0 group, whereas Variovorax, Vibrionimonas, and Mycobacterium dominated the bacterial communities in the aerobic exposure groups. The relative abundance of the fungal phylum Ascomycota increased from 30% in the T0 group to 80~90% in the aerobic exposure groups; the dominant fungal genera shifted from Zygosaccharomyces to Albifimbria and Pichia. In conclusion, prolonged aerobic exposure elevates the concentrations of mycotoxins in corncob silage, reduces the nutritional quality, and induces significant shifts in both bacterial and fungal community compositions. Full article

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune rheumatic disease of unknown etiolgy, characterized by erosive polyarthritis that leads to joint destruction and systemic inflammatory lesions in internal organs. Pain is a primary symptom of RA and a major contributor to psychological disturbances, which influence patients’ subjective evaluation of their condition. These psychological issues may stem from disruptions in central pain regulation mechanisms, such as central sensitization (CS), which can also affect central metabolic processes. The objective was to investigate how the severity of central sensitization, measured by the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) questionnaire (Part 1), impacts clinical and neuropsychiatric parameters, as well as the expression of genes related to inflammation, tissue destruction, carbohydrate metabolism, and fatty acid metabolism in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with RA. Methods involved collecting blood samples from 59 RA patients (mean age 52.0 years). Clinical status was assessed using the DAS28 index and serum levels of CRP, ASPA, and RF. Neuropsychiatric parameters were evaluated through questionnaires measuring CS severity score (CSI), pain intensity (VAS, BPI), neuropathic pain (PainDETECT), anxiety and depression (HADS), fatigue (FSS, FACIT-F), fibromyalgia symptoms (FIRST), and pain catastrophizing. Protein expression in PBMCs was measured by ELISA, while gene expression was analyzed using quantitative real-time RT-PCR. All patients exhibited moderate to high disease activity. Participants were divided into four subgroups according to their CSI scores: subclinical (0–29 points), mild (30–39 points), moderate (40–49 points), and severe/extreme (50–100 points). Higher CSI scores correlated with significant increases in neuropsychiatric symptoms and a notable decrease in vitality. However, clinical parameters showed no significant differences among the subgroups. Gene expression analysis revealed upregulation of genes involved in the pentose phosphate pathway (G6PD), antioxidant defense (SOD1), fatty acid metabolism (FASN, CPT1B), apoptosis (CASP3), and tissue destruction and hypernociception (MMP-9) compared to healthy controls. The pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β expression was comparable to controls, while TNFα expression was elevated only in patients with severe/extreme CS scores. These findings suggest that CS-related disturbances may contribute to increased disease severity in RA, even in patients receiving active antirheumatic treatment. At the cellular level, disease severity appears linked to dysregulated expression of genes governing central metabolic processes, despite low expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes. Full article

Umami is a key determinant of pork flavor, but the association between the intestinal microbial community and umami differences remains unclear. Here, we used the taste-sensing electronic tongue system to divide the Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire pigs into high, medium and low groups. We combined 16S rRNA gene and shotgun metagenomic sequencing to study the differences in the microbial community composition and functional genes. The results showed that the microorganisms in the cecum of different groups had a similar core microbial community. The Shannon diversity analysis showed that there were no significant differences among the different groups. The Bray–Curtis distance indicated that there were differences in the bacterial communities between the high umami group and the other two groups. The LEfSe analysis and Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the uncultured species CAG-632 sp900539185 maintained a high abundance in the high umami group and was significantly correlated with umami. Metagenomic functional analysis revealed distinct functional signatures among umami groups, with enrichment of genes related to carbohydrate transport and metabolism, butanoate and other short-chain fatty acid pathways, nitrogen utilisation, cell-surface structures, adhesion and RNA metabolism in high umami groups. These research findings indicate that the differences in the delicious flavor of pork are more likely to be associated with specific microbial species and the functional characteristics of the cecal microbial community, rather than the overall situation of the entire microbial community. Full article

Background: The incidence of dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease (AD), is rising, with over 55 million affected globally. Therefore, this disease, for which there is no adequate treatment, is more frequent and prevalent in women. Royal jelly, a bee secretion, is known for its health benefits and contains proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, minerals, polyphenols, enzymes, and B vitamins, as well as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties relevant to AD. Thus, we aimed to investigate the chemical compounds in royal jelly extract and their effect on neurobehavioral changes in an AD female model. Methods: In vitro studies were used to investigate the chemical and physicochemical properties of the royal jelly extract. In vivo studies, we divided female mice into five groups (n = 25): Control (C), Alzheimer (ALZ), ALZ standard (ALZ-STD, rivastigmine 1 mg/Kg), ALZ-D1 (royal jelly 150 mg/kg), and ALZ-D2 (royal jelly 300 mg/kg). The mice received the treatments orally at 45 days. We induced the AD model by orally administering aluminum chloride at 100 mg/kg and intraperitoneally injecting D-galactose at 120 mg/kg for 45 consecutive days, after which we subjected the animals to the radial arm maze, Morris water maze, elevated plus maze, and forced swim tests. Results: Analyses showed moderate acidity and a rich bioactive profile, with flavonoids being more prevalent. Antioxidant activity tests indicated moderate efficacy, while FTIR-ATR analysis revealed the chemical complexity of royal jelly. The royal jelly extract used in the study did not induce toxicity in vivo. Notably, royal jelly improved cognitive deficits, neurodegeneration, and reduced anxiety in AD. Conclusions: The study suggests that royal jelly extract has promising neuroprotective properties and could be a viable natural therapeutic option for AD. Full article

This study aimed to examine the seasonal dynamics of non-structural carbohydrates in pasture and their relationship to metabolic indicators in horses with a history of laminitis. Thirty Hucul mares were divided into a laminitis group (LG, n = 15) and a control group (CG, n = 15). Insulin, glucose, fructosamines concentrations and body weight were monitored during four sampling periods (S0–S3), while pasture variables were analyzed during three periods (S1–S3). The concentration of water-soluble carbohydrates was highest in May (126.8 g/kg DM) and measured lower in October (57.9 g/kg DM), while starch concentrations measured 0.1 g/kg DM in May, 25.8 g/kg DM in July, and 24.0 g/kg DM in October. No significant differences were observed in insulin concentrations between groups (p > 0.05). Glucose was significantly higher in LG in May (LG: 5.50 mmol/L; CG: 5.09 mmol/L; p < 0.05) and October (LG: 5.98 mmol/L; CG: 5.24 mmol/L; p < 0.01). Fructosamine values were higher in LG throughout the season, with significance in October (LG: 120.6 μmol/L; CG: 101.1 μmol/L; p < 0.05). Body weight increased in both LG and CG during grazing (S2), with mean values at S0 being 423.6 kg in LG and 424.8 kg in CG, and at S2 being 533.8 kg in LG and 535.6 kg in CG (p > 0.05 for between-group differences). These findings suggest a different glycemic response in laminitic horses in relation to WSC and starch concentrations and highlight starch as a potential predictor of glycemic instability. Full article